I’m relatively new and have been building stock from various online purchases given my province is on lockdown. I’ve bought a couple postcard books that feature postcards to colour. The illustrations are pretty nice but I’m wondering how people prefer to receive these (and I am guessing that in some cases, people may dislike them entirely). Do you want them blank, coloured, partially coloured, or not at all?
Tallying the outcome (so far):
7 say … colour them!
4 say … either way is fine!
5 say … leave them uncoloured.
The general consensus is that these may be considered handmade or somewhat unusual, potentially leading to some dissent from the recipient. I would not mind one myself, especially if it was on my favourite themes and so I’ve added my vote to the already coloured choice.
I’d love to get them colored! But I don’t know myself either how to send them. I think I’d rather send them colored, but I often lack the patience and time to do that. So I don’t send them at all. I sent maybe 2 of them in all the time I’ve had them.
(If anyone wants to volunteer and color them for me, please tell me! )
I’m so glad you asked this, because I have a book of art nouveau-style postcards meant for coloring, and I haven’t sent a single one yet. I was also unsure if I should send them colored or not–I would be tempted to color them myself, but I wouldn’t want to steal the opportunity from the recipient. I’m looking forward to hearing everyone’s responses!
I think it depends on the user - for me either way is fine but as I don’t have anything to colour them with at home, they stay black-and-white (I’ve received a few).
I used to buy some coloring postcards because they were on sale and I only sent them to people who liked those topics. I never colored them myself. Mostly because I hate coloring and I find it stressful staying within the lines or picking an “acceptable” color scheme. These days, I avoid the conundrum of whether to color these myself or let the recipient color them by not buying these postcards at all, even if it’s a super good deal.
(Edit to add: I don’t mind receiving coloring postcards if that’s what the sender wants to send to me. I’m more interested in the messages anyway.)
I have a set of colouring postcards too. I intend to send to Postcrossers who have little kids or are little kids themselves, and I will send them un-coloured so that the kids can colour the postcards instead. I think they might have more fun colouring.
That said, I do send some to the adult Postcrossers too and they love them too.
I would be willing to trade for some of those depending on the creatures! I’d like them blank OR colored! Check my profile list please. Mermen or dragons would be a big plus!
I’d rather get it already colored. I have a set too and the few I have sent, I’ve sent them colored. Only one I sent partially colored and told the recipient that she could finish it, so it would be like a collaboration.
I have sent this type of postcard before and have sent them both partially colored and uncolored. I’ve received as many negative comments as positive. Recipients complained when I did not color them and others complained when I did (one even stating that I had ruined it by partially coloring it). So, my experience is that it is HIGHLY subjective how the recipient will react. BTW, my postcards were mostly Harry Potter themed and I sent them only to HP fans (clearly stated in their info). Good luck!
I’d send them fully coloured, unless the picture looked nice and clear without colouring, then I might send uncoloured as well. I wouldn’t complain to sender, it’s their choice.
I bought a book with these kind of cards, but returned it, as the images were so unclear, with too tiny areas that even with a fine liner it would be hard, and it was unclear what part belonged to where. Also, turned out, the images were the same as in A4-sized colouring book, only shrinked to postcard size so no wonder these didn’t feel so colouring friendly.
Great thread! I have one book of colouring postcards (from a Swedish artist) and the illustrations are great, clever and funny, but I have so far sent only one because I have got so much mixed signals about the acceptance of colouring postcards. The one I sent was taken well, but the recipient wished I would have coloured it. I absolutely hate these colouring things. They only stress me out and make me bored and annoyed (so exactly opposite it is supposed to do).
So these are now waiting for the right profiles to show up. I am not going to buy more of colouring postcards for sure. If it takes well over a year to get one sent, then it is not really worth of it. However, the illustrations in this one I have are actually great and work well also as black and white, so I might later on just send them and let the recipient to decide if they want to colour them or keep them as black and white.
I have received couple of colouring postcard, and for me it doesn’t really matter if they arrive coloured or not coloured. I will not colour them myself, but if the sender had fun with colouring the postcard then it is just nice that they had great time. Wouldn’t mind about receiving more of them, I don’t care about the type of the postcard that much. They might not be my favourites now, but I do like clever illustrations so who knows maybe it will be favourite after all
I have only bought colouring postcards once so far and they are impossible to colour due to the paper surface. So they are still waiting for someone who might like them.
I prefer receiving postcards that are already coloured. When someone else has written the postcard, it feels wrong to me to colour it myself, as that adds “my touch” to it.
It seems I am in minority here. I would prefer them not coloured. It never came to my mind to colour such postacards before sending. I count them as “interactive” postcards so I leave the fun interaction to the receiver. If I received a card that was already fully coloured in, it would feel to me like getting a used disposable item. But I do enjoy colouring so maybe that’s why. Now that I think of it I would only send them to people who a) state they have small children and want the cards for them or b) like making art. I have also sent postcards with a maze and connect-the-dots. Both without marking the right path or connecting the dots. And I have received a minesweeper scratch-off postcard, also untouched.
As a newbie that has only sent my first five cards (not colouring ones btw) I find people’s reactions shocking from reading about your experiences! Are people really that rude and ungrateful? I do understand everyone has different taste but why wouldn’t they just say thanks?
Blimey, I really hope I don’t encounter too many rude people
I love getting already-colored-in coloring cards! To me they are a form of handmade cards, which are personal favorites.
Conversely, I really dislike getting non-colored-in ones. I feel like I’ve been given homework.
And the worst for me personally, although I know they are well-meant, are half-colored in ones, where you are instructed to please fill in the parts that aren’t done yet, so that there is some sort of “melding” between the sender and the recipient. That is (again, to me! I know they are well-meant and will thank the sender!) like getting homework + guilt.
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